Friction-clutch pulley



Patenteel July 12, 1927.

`uNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

.ALOIS L. PREIMESBERGER, `OF MENASHA, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOi FRANK E. SENSENBRENNER, OF MENASHA, WISCONSIN.

ERIC'.rroiv-c'srarrCHy PULLEY.

Application filed October 17, 1924. Serial No. 744,220.

This invention relates to friction vclutch pulleys, but moreparticularly such as are incorporated in tractor units, and has for itsprimary object to provide a simple, durable and etlicient device of thischaracter.

-Further objects of the invention are to provide an improved device forspreading the friction ring, to provide improved means for actuatingthis spreading device, to protect the parts from dust, and in general topro-k vide an improved clutch pulley.

The many other objects and advantages will be better understood byreference to the following specification when' considered in connectionwith the accompanying drawing,

illustrating a vselected embodiment thereof, in which Fig. 1 is an endelevation of a clutch pulley incorporating the principles of myinvention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. j i

Figa?) is av horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4-4of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragment of the section shown in Fig. 2. with the shaftbroken away, and

Fig. 6 is a detail View.

Referring to the drawing, the device comprises a driving gear 10,mounted on the end of the driven shaft 11, supported in the housing 12.A sleeve 13 is slidablymounted on this shaft and this 'sleeve isprovided with a peripheral groove 14, in which travels a yoke 15. Anoperating lever 16 is fulcrumed intermediate its ends in the housing, as.at

1.7, and the lower extremity is provided with a fork or spreadingfingers as 18, which are pivotally connected to the yoke 15. This leveris adapted to move the sleeve 13 longitudinally of the shaft 11. A splitring 19, is provided witha hub 20,- which is secured upon the shaft byAa washer 21, nut 22, and cotter pin 22 so that this ring will be drivenby the shaft.

The outer ball bearing 23 for the shaft fits on the inner reducedportion or extension of this hub and acts between the same and the rearend portion .of the housing 12. lar bearing 24 acts between the hub ofthe gear and the forward end of the housing. A pulley and clutch drum as25, has its hub 25 mounted upon the hub 20 of the split ring 19 and freeto rotate thereon until the drum 25 is frictionally engaged by the ring19 in the manner to be presently described. The ring proper is connectedto its hub 2() by a web 19 which in the present embodiment is integraltherewith. A cover plate as 26, is preferably secured to the rearend off the clutch drum 25 by screws 27 -or other suitable means to protectthe parts particularly from dust.- In thepresent embodiment a laminatedpulley 28, of well known make has been secured upon the periphery of theAclutch drum 25 to form the driving face thereof for operation of therear end transmission of the tractor.

A substantially wedge shaped block as 29 'fits' between the inwardlyconverging ends 30, 30 of the split ring 19 to expand this ring andcause its periphery toy frictionally engage the inner surface of thedrum 25. An actuating arm 3l is provided onv the block 29 and this armencircles,fextends or passes around and beneath the shaft 11. A pin 32on the extremity ofthis arm loosely fits within a radial hole 33 drilledin the web 19 of the hub 20. The wedge block v29 and adjoining portionof the arm l31 are split as at 34 to permit the expansion of the blockfor the purpose of adjustment. A. bolt 35 projects-through this splitopening and the nut 36 thereon tits within an enk largement of suchopening as at 37. The head 38 of this bolt is preferably conical and thenut is'wedge shaped so that when the bolt is turned by inserting a screwdriver vin the slot 39 in thehead, the wedge block lis uniformlyexpanded. This adjustability of the'wedge block is very advantageous asit permits increased expansion of t e ring or compensation for wear. Byexpanding the block uniformly at both ends, the proper .spreading of thering land gripping of the drum 25 will be provided. In order tofacilitate the adjustment of the'block, Ihave provided an opening 40 inthe cover plate opposite the head of the adjusting bolt and placedtherein a threaded plug 41. An oil retainer' 42 is preferably providedat the rear end of the housing.

An engaging rod 43 has its inner end-44 screwed into the vend of theslidable sleeve 13 and this rod preferably projects through the entirehub 2O of the split ring 19 and inside the ball bearing 23. The outerend portion of this rod is bevelled as at 45. and the inclined facethereof coacts with the opposing face i-G of the arm 3l to force thisend portion of the arm away from the axis of the shaft and to therebydraw the wedge block Q9 inwardly, expanding the split ring andfric-tionally lockingthe pulley 25. on the shaft. The split ringpossesses s'uiliclent resiliency to permit this expansion and to causethe bloclr to be forced outwardly as soon as the pressure on the face 46is released. The ring is expanded when the parts .are in the positionillustrated in the drawiiig.v To rele-ase the clutch the handle portionof the lever 1,6- is moved rearwardly, carrying the sleeve forwardly onthe shaft and withdrawing the bev-elled end of the rod t3 fromengagement with the vface 46 of the arm Si.

By passing through the hub of the split ring, and insideA thev ballbearing, the engag ingrod is bracedpractically throughoutlits entireilength, and no. bending or yielding will occur. The location and inodeof operation ofthis rod insures. the greatest degree of perinanency andeiticiency. ,The operating parts are completely enclosed and this is aver desirablefe-ature in a tractor.

her wedge, b ook isv drawn radially inwardly to expandtlie ring insteadof being pressed outwardly. The expansion fills the entire drum asdistinguished from a small arc in the upper part thereof..

Myelutch construction can be incorpel rated in the present standardFordso-n tractor unit.

It will be obvious from the foregoing description thatniy invention issimple, com-v pact and eiiicient. The parts are readily adjustable andthe expansibility of the wedgeblock increases. the lifeoff the parts.

Iain aware that the-.forni and arrange-v ment of parts may beconsiderably changed without departing from the spirit of my inventionand I reservey the right to make all such variations as fairly fai-lwithin the scope. ofthe following claims.l

l claim as; my invention:

1.. In a `friction clutch, the combination of aV normally contracteddivided ring having inwardly converging ends, a split wed-ge blockdisposed between said ends, an ad justing member in said block havingtapered wedge members in both ends for uniformly expanding thesaniethroughout its length, andmeans for .moving said block substantiallyradially o-f-said ring to expand said ring.

2.Y In a friction clutch, the combinationl of a divided resilient ringhavin-g converging ends, a split wedge block disposed between said endsand having an arm into which the split extends, an adjusting boltfitting within the split in said block and havin-gend wedges oppositelytapered and coacting with the walls thereofto uniformly expand saidblock, andmeans for actuating said block to expand said ringincludingthe split arm forming a continuation of the block and means forshifting the arm radially.

3. In a friction clutch, the combination of a normally contractedyresilient dividedring having converging ends, a split wedge blockdisposed between said ends, an adjusting bolt with oppositely disposedspreaders fitting longitudinally within'the split in said bloclrandCoacting with the walls thereof at opposite ends of the block. touniformly expand said block, and means for actuating said block toexpand said ring, said ring moving to contracted, position when thelastnamed means is released.

et. In a friction clutch pulley, a housing, a hub., a .bearing betweenthe housing and hub, a driven shaftl journaled in the housing and hub.,a sleeve slidable on the shaft with in the housing, a lever pivoted inthe hous-l ing and operatively engagingthe'sleeve for sliding the saineon the shafts-:a split ring4 having inwardly converging ends, meansferconnecting` the hub to. the shaft for .driving the hub, a webconnecting4 the ring and hub, aclutch druin having a hubbearing onthehub|` of the ring, a pulley on the elutch'drum adapted for operativeconnectionwith the rear end transmission of a tractor or the like, asplit wedge-.shaped block between the ends of the ring and having anarmencircling the shaft and a pini-guided radially in the web, aspreader in the split of th-e block for expanding the same, Aand a rod4adjustaloly connected to the sleeve an'd'extending through the .hubfirst mentioned, within the bearing thereof, :and having a beveledportion to engage the inner face of the arm toforce the same away fromVthe axis of the shaft and drawV the wedge shaped. block inwardlytospreadl the ring.

5. In a friction-clutch, a,` revolub-le shaft,

a hub, fixed on said shaft, a splitv ring can riedbfj; said hub, a wedgeVblock fitting between the yends of said ringand.adaptedfor inwardmovement to expand the;,ring,an arm projecting inwardly-.from saidblock-and encircling said shaft, and alever actuated operating memberfor said block` extending through said hub. and coacting 'with the innerextremity of said arm..

6. In a friction clutch, arevoluble shaft, a hub :Fixed: onsaid shaft,la split ring carried by said hub, a wedge blockV fitting'lieftween theends of said ring, .an arm proyJeeting inwardly frein-said block andpartially encircling said shaft,.an d an op.erating member for saidbloc-k slidably-,monntedl in said hubY and coacting with said arm on thel opposite side of sai-d shaft from said ,block to draw saidbloclrinwardly and thereby expand said ring..

7'., InV a fi'ictionclutch, a, driven sli-aft, a.v

hubfixed on said shaft, a bearing for said -iee shaft fitting about saidhub, a divided ring integral with said hub and encircling said shaft,means interposed between the ends of said ring for expanding the same,and means extending through said hub inside of said bearing foractuating said expanding means.

8. In a friction clutch, a revoluble shaft, a hub fixed on said shaft, adivided ring carried by said hub, a wedge bloeli fitting between theends of said ring and having an arm extending to the other side of theshaft, means to guide the arm, a bar slidable through said hub'substantially parallel with said shaft to shift said arm to force theend thereof away from the axis of the shaft for operating said block toexpand said ring, and means for manually actuating said bar.

9. In a friction clutch, a revoluble shaft, a drum free upon said shaft,a divided ring fixed upon said shaft and within said drum, a split wedgeblock for spreading said ring to cause driving connection between saidshaft and said drum, a cover plate on the end of said drum having` anopening opposite said block, and adjusting means for said blockincluding a taper headed screw and a tapered nut mounted in the split,said a wedge block fitting between the ends of said ring and having anarm extending radially inwardly and then curved around the shaft to theopposite side, a bar slidable axially through an opening in said hubparallel with the shaft to force the end of the arm away from the axisof the lshaft for drawing said block inwardly to expand said ring, andmeans mounted on Vthe shaft to aetuate the bar.

11. In a friction clutch, a-revoluble shaft, a hub fixed on said shaft,a divided ring carried by said hub, a wedge block fitting between theends of said ring, an arm projecting inwardly from said block, anoperating bar for said block extending axially through said hub from endto end with a bearing substantially ithroughout its length and having atapered end engaging'the arm, and a lever having operative connectionwith the bar for sliding the latter to move the block radially inwardlyfor expanding the ring.

ALOIS L. PREIMESBERGER.

